Let It Go

Loving God and Neighbor: Let It Go

Luke 10:38-42
7.17.16

How many of you have a sibling?  I am the oldest of two girls and I can tell you that there are some things I was expected to do and my sister was not. Regardless of the expectation we are both very different people which can be seen with how we approach things, our relationships, even our work.  During High School the groups I was involved with focused on social justice and community.  My sister on the other hand was a three-season athlete who would spend her off time hanging out with her friends. There are similarities though-we both grew up going to church and singing in the choir. We both were active in youth group (albeit different ways), we were decent students, and we are both very personable. Yet even within our similarities I am aware that we even did these things differently.

So I understand the differences between Mary and Martha on an intimate level.  To be honest I am Martha most of the time, and not because I am the oldest. I always busy myself doing things rather than being in the moment, although I have been working on shifting that. My sister is very much Mary. She is able to drop everything on a moment’s notice, to live in the moment with those around her. And I must admit I envy that ability to just be, to not let the things that need to happen and the future plans overwhelm her. Yet I do have my Mary moments and that is what the story remind us all of us-we have a choice on how we act and react.

Today we have entered into the second week of our “Loving God and Loving Neighbor” series. Last week we looked at the parable of the Good Samaritan and what we mean by neighbor. Through our time last week we were remind that God calls us to the uncomfortable places, to do the unexpected things for those considered different. I challenged everyone last week with the image of a bandaid and asked you to search out ways to heal those around us in some way, to be agents of change in the world. Today we look at this short passage in Luke and examine what it means to act in love through our welcome of others. 

Let's set the stage: Jesus and his disciples had been travelling for many miles and as they entered this new village they heard that Martha and her family had opened their house for these men to stay in. So they made their way over there knowing that they were welcome guests. Here’s what we don't really know: We don't know how much time they had to prepare for these guests, we don't know who’s house it was exactly since women didn't own property but it was their job to prepare a welcome, we don't know if they had encountered Jesus before or if they only knew about him through reputation. Despite all the uncertain things we don't know, we do know that when Jesus and his disciples arrived Mary was useless- she was more interested in soaking up the conversation than helping her sister prepare.

Now I want to be clear that one sister is not better or worse than the other, and that one is not the example we should follow. I imagine that Mary is a young girl, maybe 14 or 15, and her older sister has acted as mother and parent for too long. I imagine Mary had just begun taking on the responsibility of what it meant to be a woman during this time, like setting a welcome table for unexpected guests. I imagine Martha got frustrated by her baby sister and her free spirit. I imagine Martha had to grow up sooner than she needed to for some reason so the joys of childhood exploration were seen as a silly nuisance. And in their differences we can see that both sisters are needed for this interaction to work and to be important for us. Without Martha being ready for guests Jesus may not have stopped there, but without Mary, Jesus may not have stayed.

 in Jewish tradition sitting shiva for 7 days people come and go food is brought and depending on the community and who died someone may do intimate acts like laundry or clean a dirty spot in the house. yet more often than not those visiting the bereaved just sit with them, maybe words are said maybe a hand as help but usually they sit in silence the silence is not awkward or unsettling there is a genuine connection because of genuine grief and love.

When we learn to slow down and quiet ourselves in the busyness of life, to sit at the feet, we are able to create space for God to dwell, and we become present enough to realize God is there.  When we choose to sit at God's feet we are fed, we are filled, we are prepared to deal with the chaos and clutter of our world. When we sit at the feet of Jesus, when we make this conscious choice we are able to speak the heart language of those around us and truly feel their pain and joy allowing us to authentically grieve or celebrate with our neighbor. And to be able to truly grow from this encounter we must prepare. Through prayer, study of God's word, and gathering in community we are able to be prepared for this intimate encounter of hearing what God wants to do in our lives and in our world.

Beloved-What are the things we are called to let go of, the things we let go so we can be more present in the lives of others and in our relationship with God?  I must tell you that these things are not always clear. sometimes these things are the everyday normal habits that we do. and it is within examining those habits that we are able to challenge ourselves to make space for the things that truly matter. 

What does it mean to set a table?  When you have guests over do you create elaborate centerpieces, do you pull out your best China?  Or are you one of those people who buys expensive ingredients and tries out new recipes that would never be in the normal rotation of the dinner menu? A few months ago we had a dear friend over for brunch and at one moment I looked down at the table and just smiled. There were a number of dishes I had spent time making, and half empty plates. As I looked up I registered the smiles, deep belly laughs, and non stop conversation that was the truly important part of this gathering. See Martha was so worried about doing all of the things, making a perfect space for Jesus and his disciples to sit and gather at, but by focusing on those things Martha miss the most important part about having guests over, spending time with them.

Friends amazing things happen around the table; good and bad news is shared,  revelation of relationships is discovered, new friendships are formed.  So we are challenged by the story to change how we look at our table in our homes and in this place. How do the tables in our lives, the safe spaces we create, provided time for connection, community shared, safe and sacred space?

It is believed that the Mary of the story was the Mary who found Jesus’ tomb empty and through that lens we truly see that the point of sitting at Jesus's feet is to remind us to make time and space for the truly important things in life- the people in it. When we understand this we understand that it is in these moments that God is preparing us and strengthening us for whatever is coming in our lives. Our relationships are deepened, stronger, more intentional so we have a community that will journey with us in the ups and downs of life.

So I ask you again- what are the things you need to let go of?  what are the things that always seem to take precedence over spending time with the important people in your life?  what are the things that could honestly wait, that we have made a priority in our lives?  for each of us it is a different answer, for each of us acknowledging it allows us to learn what has held us back from welcoming and loving the other, the stranger, the neighbor in our midst.

So Jesus says to each of us what he says to Martha… “dear one, you are fussing far too much and getting yourself worked up over nothing. The dishes will still be there, the laundry can wait, only one thing is essential and that is being in true relationship with me and those around you. So sit, join us, and can you pass the bread.”